JimO
Well-Known Member
It's easy to enjoy a great reputation when things are going well. However, all companies are staffed by human beings who will inevitably & eventually make mistakes. It is how quickly, efficiently & thoroughly they react & resolve those mistakes to the satisfaction of their customer that demonstrates what kind of reputation they truly deserve. Everyone falls down, but how do they get up?
After all of the continuing praise & positive feedback on the VLJ forum, as well as the trouble-free purchase of a custom sized A-2 Doniger from @Shawn Ali at Five Star Leather, I decided to order another jacket, this time a totally custom A-2 Werber.
I started by generating a very detailed & specific list of features (materials, colors, sizing & measurements, etc.) that I wanted. Of course, Shawn was his usual VERY accommodating self, and assured me that Five Star could fulfill all of my needs & would make the jacket exactly as I had specified. The order was placed and the anticipation & wait began.
When the package arrived, I immediately noticed that something was wrong. Although the workmanship was flawless, the jacket was made with the wrong material (the thin standard, instead of the thicker premium goatskin.) This leather was just not the same level of quality, appearance or durability as that of my premium goatskin Doniger. Needless to say, I was both disappointed & concerned.
Shawn's timely reply to my email informing him of the discrepancy was pretty much what you would expect from him. Stemming from a clerical error at Five Star, he immediately admitted fault & took responsibility for their mistake. He committed to, at his cost, re-making the jacket to the correct specifications as well as paying for the shipping cost to return the wrong material jacket to Five Star in Pakistan.
This is the proper, fair and ethical response any customer would expect to receive from a company with reasonable & solid business practices. Without hesitation, Shawn & Five Star Leather took ownership & accountability for their actions and did what was necessary to resolve the issue, make things right and satisfy their customer.
For me, this is the real reason why they have a stellar reputation and why I will continue to be a loyal, repeat & vocal customer. They continue to EARN my business. If there is an issue with an order due to the fault of Five Star, you can rest assured that Shawn WILL both own and resolve it.
If there is an issue caused by the customer's doing, I have a pretty good feeling that Shawn will help the best he can to sort it out. You have the responsibility to do your homework, know what you want, double check and clearly & explicitly specify your sizing & material requirements BEFORE placing your order, because Five Star is going to make exactly what you ask for. Communication is the key to a smooth & successful transaction and getting the jacket you really want.
The replacement Werber was made & delivered in less than a week. It came out just as I had wanted and the details are in my post reviewing this jacket.
After all of the continuing praise & positive feedback on the VLJ forum, as well as the trouble-free purchase of a custom sized A-2 Doniger from @Shawn Ali at Five Star Leather, I decided to order another jacket, this time a totally custom A-2 Werber.
I started by generating a very detailed & specific list of features (materials, colors, sizing & measurements, etc.) that I wanted. Of course, Shawn was his usual VERY accommodating self, and assured me that Five Star could fulfill all of my needs & would make the jacket exactly as I had specified. The order was placed and the anticipation & wait began.
When the package arrived, I immediately noticed that something was wrong. Although the workmanship was flawless, the jacket was made with the wrong material (the thin standard, instead of the thicker premium goatskin.) This leather was just not the same level of quality, appearance or durability as that of my premium goatskin Doniger. Needless to say, I was both disappointed & concerned.
Shawn's timely reply to my email informing him of the discrepancy was pretty much what you would expect from him. Stemming from a clerical error at Five Star, he immediately admitted fault & took responsibility for their mistake. He committed to, at his cost, re-making the jacket to the correct specifications as well as paying for the shipping cost to return the wrong material jacket to Five Star in Pakistan.
This is the proper, fair and ethical response any customer would expect to receive from a company with reasonable & solid business practices. Without hesitation, Shawn & Five Star Leather took ownership & accountability for their actions and did what was necessary to resolve the issue, make things right and satisfy their customer.
For me, this is the real reason why they have a stellar reputation and why I will continue to be a loyal, repeat & vocal customer. They continue to EARN my business. If there is an issue with an order due to the fault of Five Star, you can rest assured that Shawn WILL both own and resolve it.
If there is an issue caused by the customer's doing, I have a pretty good feeling that Shawn will help the best he can to sort it out. You have the responsibility to do your homework, know what you want, double check and clearly & explicitly specify your sizing & material requirements BEFORE placing your order, because Five Star is going to make exactly what you ask for. Communication is the key to a smooth & successful transaction and getting the jacket you really want.
The replacement Werber was made & delivered in less than a week. It came out just as I had wanted and the details are in my post reviewing this jacket.